Arcuate tunnel lining segments

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a tunnel lining segments. The drawing shows a tunnel lining segment having a tie member extending circumferentially through the segment. The tie member of one segment is secured to the tie member of an adjacent segment by an articulated coupling device which permits one segment to be rotated with respect to the next segment after securing at the coupling device in assembly of the tunnel ling.

United States Patent Cardwell et a1.

ARCUATE TUNNEL LINING SEGMENTS Inventors: William Thomas Cardwell,

Laleham; Francis Murray Hawke, Ashford; Peter Gordon Gibson, Camberley,all of England Charcon Tunnels Limited, Derby, England Filed: Aug. 10,1973 Appl. No.: 387,376

Assignee:

Foreign Application Priority Data Aug. 15, 1972 United Kingdom 38071/72US. Cl. 61/45 R, 52/224 1m. (:1. EOlg 5/02 Field of Search 61 /45 R, 42;52/224, 582,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1911 lngraham 52/584 4/1927Serra 61/45 R 1 Mar. 18, 1975 1,979,896 11/1934 McAlpine 61/45 R3,471,185 10/1969 Parr 403/60 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,292,63810/1972 Great Britain .1 61/45 R 411,315 11/1922 Germany 61/42 407,8222/1922 Germany 61/42 Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam AssistantExaminer-Alex Grosz Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Cushman, Darby & Cushman[57] ABSTRACT The invention relates to a tunnel lining segments.

The drawing shows a tunnel lining segment having a tie member extendingcircumferentially through the segment. The tie member of one segment issecured to the tie member of an adjacent segment by an articulatedcoupling device which permits one segment to be rotated with respect tothe next segment after securing at the coupling device in assembly ofthe tunnel ling.

6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEU HAR] 81975 sum 2 95 2 ARCUATETUNNEL LINING SEGMENTS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of theinvention This invention relates to arcuate tunnel lining seg ments.

2. Description of the Prior Art U.K. Patent Specification No. 1,292,638discloses arcuate tunnel lining segments having tie members extendingcircumferentially through the segments. The tie members are securedtogether by rigid couplings. The method of erection comprises securing atie member for a new segment to be erected to a tie member of apreviously erected segment and the then sliding a new segment over thenew tie member. This operation causes difficulty in practice because thenew segment to be slid around the surface of the tunnel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides arcuate tunnel liningsegments.

The invention provides an arcuate tunnel lining segment having at leastone tie member extending circumferentially through and enclosed withinthe segment, at least one end of the tie member having a coupling devicefor securing said end to the end of a tie member of a further segmentand which coupling device incorporates an articulated joint to permitone segment to be pivoted with respect to another during erection ofsaid segment.

With this arrangement a new tunnel lining segment can be secured apreviously erected segment by attaching a tie member to the tie memberof a previously erected segment through the articulated coupling devicewith the new tie member extending into the centre of the tunnel, slidingthe new segment of the tie member clear of the tunnel wall and thenpivoting the new segment and tie member into engagement with the tunnelwall.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side view of a portion of atunnel lining ring being constructed of segments embodying theinvention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a coupling device for joining tie rodsof adjacent segments of the lining ring of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional detail through a joint between two adjacentsegments embodying the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to the drawings, atunnel lining ring is constructed of a plurality of arcuate concretesegments 10. Each segment has a number of axially spaced circumferentialbores 11 extending through them, one of which can be seen in FIG. 3. Arod 12 which is threaded at both ends extends through each bore 10, thearcuate length of the rod being less than the arcuate length of thesegment 10 at the centre of its radial thickness. Each of the ends ofthe bores 11 is enlarged as indicated by 13.

The tie rods of adjacent segments are connected by a universallyarticulated coupling device 14 as shown in FIG. 2. The device 14comprises two interlinked rigid loops. Each loop comprises a hexagonalnut 15 and a rigid U-shaped member 16. The limbs of the member l6'extendsubstantially parallel to the bore of the nut and the free ends of thelimbs are welded to a pair of opposed flats of the nut respectively.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, the lining ring is built up by placing onesegment 10 against the wall of the excavated tunnel bore. Flat platewashers 17 are put on the free ends of the rod 12 and abut the bases ofthe recesses 13. A coupling device 14 is screwed onto each end of therod 12 such that the base of U-shaped portion 16 of the shackle liessubstantially in the plane of the radial end face of the segment. Afurther tie rod 12 is screwed into the opposite nuts of the couplingdevices. The further tie rods are pivoted inwardly of the excavatetunnel bore so that further segments 10 can be slid over the further tierods. The further segments are then pivoted outwardly to lie against thetunnel bore. Further coupling devices are then screwed on the free ends'of the tie rods extending within the further segments to hold theadjacent radial ends of the further segments and the initially laidsegment in abutment.

The ring is completed by a key segment (not shown) to which tie rods ofsegments on either side of the key segment are secured in a similarmanner to the arrangement described and illustrated in U.K. PatentSpecification No. 1,292,683.

We Claim:

1. An arcuate tunnel lining segment having at least one tie memberextending circumferentially through and enclosed within the segment, atleast one end of the tie member having an articulated coupling devicefor securing said end to a tie member of a further segment, whichcoupling device comprises a nut screwed on to said one end of the tiemember, a first rigid U-shaped element the ends of which are secured tothe nut on either side thereof and a second rigid U-shaped elementinterlinked with the first element and having a further nut securedbetween the ends thereof for screwing on to an end of a further tiemember.

2. A segment as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tie member comprises anarcuate rod extending through a preformed circumferential hole in thesegment.

3. A segment as claimed in claim 1 wherein a plurality of said tiemembers are provided in the segment at locations spaced apart in thedirection of the axis of the segment.

4. A segment as claimed in claim 1 which is precast in concrete.

5. A segment as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tie member has anarticulated coupling device at each end thereof to receive and retainthe ends of the tie members of further segments.

6. A tunnel lining comprising segments as claimed in claim 1 and securedtogether by said articulated coupling devices.

1. An arcuate tunnel lining segment having at least one tie memberextending circumferentially through and enclosed within the segment, atleast one end of the tie member having an articulated coupling devicefor securing said end to a tie member of a further segment, whichcoupling device comprises a nut screwed on to said one end of the tiemember, a first rigid Ushaped element the ends of which are secured tothe nut on either side thereof and a second rigid U-shaped elementinterlinked with the first element and having a further nut securedbetween the ends thereof for screwing on to an end of a further tiemember.
 2. A segment as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tie membercomprises an arcuate rod extending through a preformed circumferentialhole in the segment.
 3. A segment as claimed in claim 1 wherein aplurality of said tie members are provided in the segment at locationsspaced apart in the direction of the axis of the segment.
 4. A segmentas claimed in claim 1 which is precast in concrete.
 5. A segment asclaimed in claim 1 wherein the tie member has an articulated couplingdevice at each end thereof to receive and retain the ends of the tiemembers of further segments.
 6. A tunnel lining comprising segments asclaimed in claim 1 and secured together by said articulated couplingdevices.